Jewish migration in medieval England
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the reasons for and impact of Jewish migrants on medieval England, as well as the experiences of Jewish settlers.
Key learning points
- Jewish people were invited to migrate to England by Norman rulers.
- Many Jewish people were encouraged to work as moneylenders, although many also worked in other professions.
- Due to increasing antisemitism, Jewish people faced greater discrimination from the late 1100s.
- Jewish people were expelled by Edward I in 1290, not to return for nearly 400 years.
Keywords
Antisemitism - hatred of or discrimination towards Jewish people
Usury - the action of lending money and charging interest, called a sin by the Pope
Common misconception
All Jewish people who migrated to England worked as moneylenders.
Not all Jewish migrants took up jobs as moneylenders; many took up other jobs and assimilated into English society.
Teacher tip
In thinking about broader patterns of migration in this period, encourage students to see that Jewish migrants in medieval England are an example of a migrant group whose experiences were dramatically impacted by major events in Europe and changing relations with authorities.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which keyword is a term used to describe the collection of Christian kingdoms in the medieval period?
Q2.Which keyword describes people who work in the Church, typically monks and bishops?
Q3.Put the following events in chronological order.
Q4.Which Norman group migrated to England because of the wealth opportunities from England's fertile land?
Q5.Which of the following was an economic incentive for Norman monks to migrate to England?
Q6.Why were the majority of Norman migrants not treated as 'aliens' despite this being the norm in the period?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which keyword describes the action of lending money and charging interest and was called a sin by the Pope?
Q2.Which of the following jobs did Jewish migrants do in Norman England?
Q3.Why were Jewish migrants not initially treated as aliens?
Q4.Complete the sentence: Due to increasing , Jewish people faced greater discrimination from the late 1100s.
Q5.Which of the following suggests that Jewish migrants still had a negative experience despite their protection status?
Q6.Who expelled Jewish people from England in 1290?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Jewish migration in medieval England, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Jewish migration in medieval England, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Migrants in Britain, c800–present unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.